Doing Battle, Week 68

I've decided to do something daring this year and switch up posting days for Project 365. It makes more sense to me for the weekend to be together. If I start on Mondays then Saturday and Sunday won't be separated, so starting tomorrow my 365 posts will be Mondays. I know...I've gone wild!

With that in mind, I am posting my final "Doing Battle" post today. Week 68 and 2016 are all nice even numbers and, fortunately or unfortunately, I no longer have enough happening weekly to warrant such a frequent update.

Yesterday was the six-month mark of my surgery and since that time we have been actively working to heal the wound. Since being home from the hospital in July, I've had a nurse coming to the house every other day. The tissue damage that happened during radiation and the fact that I've been on chemotherapy for half of that time have worked against us.

On Wednesday we went to New York City to see my surgeon. Since they were on school vacation, we opted to bring the kids so they and Dr. Temple could meet each other and so we could do a little sightseeing with them. She frequently mentions the kids and that she is going to get me to their graduations and weddings (and beyond!). It was special to all of us involved that they got to meet.

She's very professional, which I appreciate but you can't go through what we've been through together in the last 15 months without forming some kind of bond. We have a deep respect for each other and we now greet with a tight hug, full of meaning for us both.

It was determined that we will restart the wound vacuum mid-January. She's aware of my animosity towards that thing, but thinks using it for a month may yield some improvement. We're hoping....always hoping!

Our short time in the city was fun. Times Square and Rockefeller Plaza weren't bad when we arrived at 7:30 AM, but by lunch time both were jammed with people. We saw the Christmas tree and window-shopped at toy stores like the Lego store and the Disney store and saw where the ball would be dropping the following day.

As I wrap up this post, and most especially this series, I want to say "thank you".  Two little words that can't possible reflect what's in my heart.  Our suffering is just a drop in the ocean, yet you chose to walk with us in our mess. The consistency and extravagance of the love we've been shown has been sobering and staggering.

Thank you for daring to be a part of our story. You have prayed, you have read, you have asked, you have given, you have done. Your generosity and love have overwhelmed us and we are forever changed. With a full, grateful heart, Lisa.